eDNA Dataset

Overview

The environmental DNA (eDNA) dataset includes records from water samples collected across Pristine Seas expeditions to detect and characterize marine biodiversity using molecular techniques. eDNA captures genetic material shed by organisms into the environment (e.g., via skin, scales, gametes, or excretions), enabling the detection of species that are otherwise difficult to observe using traditional survey methods.


Tables


Sites (edna.sites)

The edna.sites table contains one row per environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling site. Each site represents a distinct point in space and time and serves as the primary spatial unit for eDNA fieldwork. Within a site, multiple water samples (replicates) may be collected across different depth strata, recorded in the corresponding edna.stations table.

This table captures spatial metadata, sampling platform, habitat descriptors, and effort summaries. It supports integration with other methods (e.g., UVS, BRUVs) through common spatial fields and an optional pairing field (paired_ps_site_id).

Table 1: Additional fields in the edna.sites table (eDNA-specific site metadata)
Field Type Required Description
habitat STRING true Dominant habitat type. Allowed values: fore reef, back reef, fringing reef, patch reef, reef flat, channel, seagrass, rocky reef, open water, bay, estuary, mangrove, other.
exposure STRING true Wind and wave exposure. Allowed values: windward, leeward, lagoon, other.
paired_ps_site_id STRING false Foreign key to a related site (e.g., from uvs or pbruvs), if applicable.
n_stations INTEGER true Number of depth-stratified eDNA stations at this site.
n_samples INTEGER true Total number of water samples (replicates) collected at the site.
site_photos STRING false Path to site photo folder, if available (e.g., eDNA/site_photos/COL-2022-edna-001).
Stations (edna.stations)
Samples (edna.stations)